. >> reporter: rained jackson is sitting in simon -- randy jackson is sitting in simon cowell's old seat, but he said no one will ever say you've become the new cowell, cowell, you're a dog. this season is an american idol remix, but the drill is the same for the contestants. kelly powers came a long way from wood ridge virginia but never thought american idol was for her. >> i never wanted to do the show. >> reporter: her friends and family convinced her to give it a try. now she's in jersey city hoping american idol will help make her singing dreams come true. >> this is it for me. this is really what i'm meant to do. i know that in every bone in my body. >> reporter: her mother remembers hearing kelly sing in the back seat of the car at the age of 2 and knew she had something special. >> it's very exciting. i'm really, really proud of her. i know that she can do this. she's come a long way. >> reporter: life hasn't been easy. her father died young and she's taken care of an older sister with mental illness. two years ago she was accepted to berkeley school of music but couldn't afford